Wednesday, May 31, 2017

USS Chew (DD-106)
was a Wickes class destroyer that was present during the Japanese
attack on Pearl Harbor, and operated from Hawaii during the rest of the
Second World War, although her career was blighted by repeated engine
problems.

Monday, May 29, 2017

The battle of Embata (346 BC)
was a minor naval defeat for Athens during the Social War, but in the
aftermath two of her best commanders were put on trial, and the
remaining commander soon provoked the Persians.

Sunday, May 28, 2017

Looks at the silk trade in China, its impact on the Roman economy,
the states and civilisations along the various Silk Routes. A
fascinating book that links together the two great superpowers of the
Ancient world. At its best when examining the silk trade itself or the
cultures along the land and sea routes, although sometimes gets a bit
distracted and wanders away from the main topic. Also examines the
possibility of direct contact between the two ancient superpowers, but
comes to the conclusion that although this probably came close to
happening, it never quite did
[read full review]

An archaeological study of two minor skirmishes in the North Platte
valley of Nebraska, fought between the US cavalry and a largely
Cheyenne force reacting to an earlier massacre. Looks at the concept of
'battlespace' to see how it relates to the battlefields, and uses a
series of modern archaeological techniques to locate the two
battlefields and see how the surviving remains match with the primary
sources
[read full review]

A largely statistical analysis of post-war counterinsurgency warfare,
looking to see if there are any patterns that might help explain the
outcome of insurgencies. Provides some thought provoking data,
suggesting that high force ratios are key, as long as the insurgency
doesn't get too big, and also goes some way to disproving other ideas.
Not great on the human element of these conflicts, but still a very
valuable study of the sort of conflicts that look to dominate in the
future
[read full review]

USS Schley (DD-103/ APD-14)
was a Wickes class destroyer that entered service in the last weeks of
the First World War, but saw most service as a fast transport during the
Second World War, earning 11 battle stars in the Pacific.

The battle of Pirna (26 August 1813)
was a key part of Napoleon's plan to win a major victory at Dresden,
and saw Vandamme attempt but fail to cut off the Allied lines of
retreat from Dresden back into Bohemia.

Sunday, May 21, 2017

A history of the British intervention in Spain and Portugal during
the War of the Spanish Succession, sometimes known as the First
Peninsular War. Focuses mainly on recreating the armies involved in the
campaigns, a tricky job in a period that saw units change their name
whenever they changed commander. A useful study of this difficult and
somewhat neglected campaign, which ended with the failure of the Allied
attempt to put a Hapsburg on the Spanish throne
[read full review]

Looks at the 1965 war between India and Pakistan, a rare example of
a post-war conflict in which British and American tanks served on
opposite sides. Includes a useful account of the development of the two
tanks, the versions in service during the war and an account of the
fighting itself. Not so strong on the direct comparison between the
effectiveness of the two types when operating against each other
[read full review]

Luftwaffe Fighter Force - The View from the Cockpit, ed. David C. Isby.
The results of a series of interrogations of senior Luftwaffe
officers, carried out immediately after the end of the war, focusing on
the German use of fighters and ground attack aircraft during the
Second World War. Written without access to documents, but also before
their views were distorted in the post-war period
[read full review]

Friday, May 19, 2017

Chares
was a competent but reckless Athenian general during the thirty years
before the rise of Alexander the Great, and who gained a reputation for
being unusually greedy and corrupt. The length of his military career
was probably due to a combination of his alliance with Demosthenes and a
lack of more successful rivals at Athens.

Onomarchus (d.353 BC)
was a Phocian commander who temporarily halted the advance of Philip
II of Macedonia, but who was killed in a battle against the Macedonians
in 353. He was the brother of Philomelus, the first leader of the
Phocians during the Third Sacred War.

Thursday, May 18, 2017

The battle of El Agheila (12-18 December 1942)
was a rearguard action during Rommel's retreat in the aftermath of his
defeat at El Alamein, and saw Montgomery outflank a strong defensive
position, forcing Rommel to resume his retreat

Wednesday, May 17, 2017

The Supermarine Scimitar
was the first swept wing single seat jet fighter to be produced for
the Fleet Air Arm, and was the first FAA aircraft to be capable of
supersonic flight and to carry an atomic bomb.

The Supermarine Attacker
was the first jet fighter to enter first line service with the Fleet
Air Arm, but it was something of a interim design, with wings developed
for the piston engined Spiteful, and had a fairly short front line
career.

The Light Tank Mk VII 'Tetrarch' (A17)
was the last British designed light tank to be used in combat during
the Second World War, and saw limited use as a glider-borne aircraft on
D-Day and during the crossing of the Rhine.

Sunday, May 14, 2017

Looks at the surface vessels that operated against Allied shipping
during the First World War, a mix of warships, converted liners and
converted freighters, including one fully masted sailing ship. Although
nowhere near as successful as the later U-boat campaign, these surface
ships did embarrass the Royal Navy, especially early in the war, and
forced the diversion of sizeable RN and Allied naval forces, so they
are well worth studying
[read full review]

Covers the air war from the outbreak of conflict to the end of 1916,
the period in which fighter aircraft were first developed, and the
first 'aces' appeared. The majority of the photos are of those aces, a
mix of formal portraits and pictures around their aircraft, with a
smattering of other related pictures. Each chapter starts with a brief
introduction to the air war in that period, along with potted
biographies of the main people shown in the photos
[read full review]

The First VCs - The Stories behind the First Victoria Crosses of the Crimean War and the Definition of Courage, John Grehan.
Combines a history of the earliest winners of the Victoria Cross with
a history of the foundation of the medal itself, all taking place
against the background of the Crimean War. Looks at the sort of deeds
that were felt to be worthy of reward when the first Victoria Crosses
were awarded after the end of the war, as well as the debate that led
to the creation of the award in the first place
[read full review]

Thursday, May 11, 2017

Pericles (c.495-429 BC) was
an Athenian statesmen and general largely responsible for the
development of the mature form of Athenian democracy, the restoration of
the city after the Persian sack of 480 and the rise of the Athenian
Empire, but also for the outbreak of the Great Peloponnesian War, which
ended with the destruction of that empire and the temporary humbling
of his city

Mardonius (d.479 BC)
was a successful Persian general who helped reconcile the Ionian
Greeks after the end of the Ionian Revolt, took part in Xerxes's
invasion of Greece, and who was killed at the decisive battle of
Plataea in 479 BC.

Sunday, May 07, 2017

Republican Roman Warships 509-27 BC, Raffaele D'Amato.
Looks at the development of Roman naval power from its very earliest
mentions, through the first flowering of Roman sea power during the
First Punic War to the battle of Actium, the last naval battle before
Augustus founded the principate, a period of almost 500 years. Covers
the ships themselves, the weapons they carried, how they operated, and
the wars in which they were used. Has a great deal of info packed into
its 48 pages
[read full review]

The 1915 Campaign, Andrew Rawson.
Covers the fighting on the British front of the Western Front between
the start of 1915 and the first half of 1916, up to the start of the
battle of the Somme. Reveals at period in which the British army
introduced new weapons and new techniques, but was still unable to win
any significant victories, even when the initial part of an attack
achieved success
[read full review]

Austro-Hungarian Cruisers and Destroyers 1914-18, Ryan K. Noppen.
Looks at the largest Austro-Hungarian warships to see regular action
during the First World War, four light cruisers and eighteen destroyers
and the less valuable armoured cruisers, an obsolete type by 1914.
Begins with a look at the ships themselves, before moving on to an
examination of their generally successful use in the Adriatic during the
First World War, one of the more successful theatres for the
Austro-Hungarian armed forces.
[read full review]

USS Luce (DD-99)
was a Wickes class destroyer that entered service late in the First
World War, served in the Adriatic and eastern Mediterranean in 1919 and
was converted into a minelayer after her return to the United States.

The Trachenberg Plan (12 July 1813)
was the Allied plan for the Autumn Campaign of 1813 (War of
Liberation), and called for each of the three Allied armies to avoid
fighting Napoleon in person, but to threaten his communications and
attack his Marshals, wearing down the French army and denying Napoleon
the chance to win a decsisve victory.

Alexander I of Macedon (fl.507-463 BC)
was the king of Macedon during Xerxes' invasion of Greece, and
although he was forced to serve in the Persian army, he was also willing
to provide information to the Greeks.

Operation Treatment (1942)
was the intelligence element of the deception plan for the second
battle of El Alamein, and focused on convincing the Germans that the
offensive would start on 6 November, two weeks later than was planned.